David Holt to play Dec. 2 at WCU

The First Thursday Old-Time and Bluegrass Jam Session Series at Western Carolina University’s Mountain Heritage Center will continue Thursday, Dec. 2, with a concert by traditional music icon David Holt and a jam session in which local musicians are invited to participate.

A recipient of four Grammy Awards, Holt will get the music started at 7 p.m. in the museum auditorium. Performers of old-time and bluegrass music are invited to bring their instruments and take part in the jam session that will follow his performance.

Holt has filled the roles of musician, storyteller, historian and television host over a career that has spanned more than three decades. During that time, he has performed with many of the legends of traditional and country music who also have been his mentors, including Doc Watson, Bill Monroe and Chet Atkins. Holt plays 10 acoustic instruments and has released numerous recordings of traditional mountain music and Southern folk tales.

Well known for his work on television and radio, Holt is currently host of the public TV series “Folkways,” which takes viewers through the Southern Appalachian Mountains visiting traditional craftspeople and musicians.

The concerts and jam sessions will continue at the Mountain Heritage Center through the winter, with programs from 7 to 9 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month. Other performers scheduled to present concerts are the Freight Hoppers, Mountain Faith, Travis and Trevor Stuart, and Wayne Martin.

The events are free and open to everyone, and no reserve seating is available. Pickers and singers of all ages and experience levels are invited to take part in the jam sessions, and the events also are open to those who just want to listen.

The Mountain Heritage Center is located on the ground floor of WCU’s H.F. Robinson Administration Building. For more information, call the museum at 828.227.7129.